


I Want To Know What Love Is

by Sam Lewis (The_Poison_Within)



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, I'll let you know in advance, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, be warned, it'll get dark, just you know
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-20
Updated: 2016-11-16
Packaged: 2018-07-25 17:47:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7542085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Poison_Within/pseuds/Sam%20Lewis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You get two marks in your life. Either you've met your greatest love or your worst heartbreak. Only problem? You don't know which is which, but once you find your soulmate everything is so much more clear.</p><p> </p><p>Or I just suck at summaries and here's my soulmate story and I like to think I'm just a little original but I'm not. But give it a go, because it's so much fun to have your heart ripped out by fics, right? (Title is inspired by Foreigner's 'I Want To Know What Love Is'. Go and check it out, the fic will make so much more sense.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Unkiss Me

**Author's Note:**

> I had this idea last night about soulmates and my fingers slipped. Oops.  
> Anyways! Hi! This is my attempt at a soulmate fic and I can't promise it will be so good, but never mind that right? I have a feeling this will be a long one. How long I haven't decided, but I want to cover at least some of med school and after, trust me, I have soooooooo many ideas for this fic! I hope you enjoy, because I had so much fun writing this first chapter.  
> I think each chapter will be split in two with Clarke's POV and Lexa's POV until those two dorks actually meet, so we get both sides of their story up until they meet. Also, this is a side fic, until I finish another Clexa fic I'm writing and this isn't beta read so there will be grammatical errors here and there. I'll try to brush up on my English since it's been a few years but I hope you can bear with me.

It was early when Clarke woke in her bedroom. Light shone through the curtains as the shrouded light slowly stirred Clarke awake from her slumber. With hair sprawled all over her pillow and eyes adjusting to the morning sun. Clarke opened her eyes and looking to her alarm clock on her bedside table Clarke sighed, it was 7.34 AM and way too early to be awake on a Saturday morning. It didn’t help her head were pounding with an intense headache and the roll of her stomach quickly made Clarke realize that she indeed was very, very hungover.  
  
Throwing her covers to the side, Clarke relished of the coolness which seemed to soothe her upset stomach. Making her way to her bathroom, Clarke plumped down to her knees, elbows resting on the toilet and allowing to hold her own blonde hair up into an improvised knot and that is how Clarke spent the next ten minutes, with her head down in the toilet and emptying the contents of her stomach from last night down the drain.  
  
The last two minutes were the worst. With her stomach all but empty Clarke began to dry heave, only getting small fluids up, sighing Clarke fell back down and rested against the wall. Her head hurt even worse after this session so taking a few moments to rest Clarke thought about the night before. She had intended to go out and get to a whole new level of drunk and proceed to have a one night stand, but things went differently when she ran into her ex-boyfriend Finn.  
  
Clarke had rushed home to her apartment not being able to deal with Finn at that moment. She had broken up with him after she found him in bed fucking some random bimbo and Finn excused himself with that is was Clarke’s fault because she was twenty minutes early. So to say her first semester of her senior year was going well was an understatement. Clarke and Finn had been dating for a year and a half and Clarke had been naïve during much of that time, ignoring her friends and family’s advice to see that he was bad for her, but little did Clarke listen and in the end, Clarke ended up hurt, big time.

The world they all lived in was often cruel that way, which Clarke knew. It’s a twisted joke evolution forced upon mankind. Everyone got two marks in their lives, although depending on who you meet, it can change. One signifying your greatest love, the other mark meant heartache. Evolution didn’t stop being a bitch here because evolution didn’t specify which would be which. So when Finn and Clarke finally became a couple, Clarke had been beside herself with joy, because Finn bore a similar mark to her. It was a small deer looking mark, coloured in all black. But, as they broke up, her mark slowly began fading and another had yet to appear, meaning Clarke might never actually meet her true soulmate. There had been stories like this, although they were rare because it meant either your soulmate was dead or he or she had already found a soulmate, meaning you were to be alone.

After Clarke discovered Finn’s unfaithfulness, Clarke was consumed with a hollow and shallow pain inside herself. Clarke lost faith in Soulmates, despite her encouraging support to not give up on love just yet from her best friends, Octavia and Raven.

Clarke sighed against the cold bathroom floor, as the tiles were cold and after her impromptu date with the toilet, Clarke was a shivering mess. Tears slowly ebbed from her eyes without meaning them too. As luck would have Clarke was living alone so she could cry silently undisturbed. Clarke couldn’t contain a sob and in her tear-stained memory of Finn making out heavily last night with that same bimbo she discovered him with not two months ago.

Clarke’s sobs got worse as her entire body started trembling and it was this state of complete and udder sadness Clarke knew couldn’t continue her path on self-destruction. She was drinking entirely too much on every weekend, neglected her classes and she had refused to listen to anyone who tried to tell her, that they knew she was going through a rough time and opted to ignore them instead.

With shaking hands, Clarke got up from her place against the bathroom floor.  She looked briefly at her mirror reflection. Clarke stood in her underwear and wore a large baggy t-shirt which her father had given her when she was accepted into George Washington University. Her otherwise blue eyes, were now red, puffy and swollen from crying, which had died down to snivelling, but tears were still evidently running down her flushed, tear stained cheeks.

A humourless chuckle escaped her lips.

“Nice done Griffin,” Clarke muttered to herself as she went into grab her phone of her bedside table and call her mom, she needed to get home. To let someone take care of her, just for a day. “You do know how to look fucking pathetic.”

Mindlessly, Clarke pressed the person she had called on her phone, not even bothering to check who she was calling, knowing it would be her mom. As she pressed her phone against her ear and listening it dial two times before her mom picked up.

“Good morning Clarke,” Abby said, her voice raspy and Clarke immediately regretted waking her mother up. “Are you okay?” Abby asked. “You’re usually never up this early on Saturday?”

Clarke drew in a shaky breath and she tried to weather the raging emotions that were inside.

 “Hi mom,” Clarke said, her voice on the verge of breaking. “Can I come home? I know it’s early and you might have work, but I can’t do this anymore. I just want you and I won’t bother-,”Clarke rambled through her words, tears falling down her cheeks again, after holding them in for over two months.

Abby broke through her ramble. “Of course you can come home Clarke, I’ll be at your apartment in thirty minutes okay? It’s okay sweetheart, we’ll figure this out,” Abby said in her caring tone. Clarke was having trouble speaking, but manged to croak out thanks and then said her goodbyes, until her mother would actually come to pick her up.

Clarke shuffled around her closet to find some jogging pants and a hoodie she could wear, to hell with looks Clarke thought. Clarke shuffled around her apartment for the rest she needed to pack and lastly her pillow was to be packed.

 _It’s really stupid I have to take my pillow with me everywhere, oh the joy of being a picky sleeper._ Clarke let out a short amused chuckled, when she realised she had actually had a genuine bit of laughter for the first time in two months.

************

Clarke had finished packing her bag and waited for her mother to come pick her up, which would still be another ten minutes or so. Clarke decided to shoot her best friends a text, letting them know she went home for the spring break.

 **Princess:  
** Hi guys, I’m going home for spring break. I’m so sorry to bail on you guys.

**Rae the Bae:**

Don’t worry about it Clarke, you need take care of yourself, about damn time anyways! ;)

 **O is The Champ:  
** Seriously, it’s okay Clarke. We understand, your break up with Finn hit you hard and you haven’t exactly let yourself cope in a good way. Take care alright? I’ll keep Reyes out of trouble until you come back ;)

Clarke smiled softly at her phone. She was glad her friends took it so well that she was going home. They of course knew how bad she had it after the break up, but neither could get through to her, knowing that Clarke would break down in her own time. Her phone dinged again, letting her know she got another text.

 **Rae the Bae:  
** Low blow, O. Fucking low blow….

Clarke couldn’t help but chuckle at her friends’ antics. Not long after that reply, Clarke wrote her own, thanking her best friends for their understanding and that she was truly sorry and that she loved them. Octavia and Raven had a discussion about Raven’s latest intoxicated accident where she was dancing on a table, before losing her balance and was sent tumbling down to the floor, where she took down a boy with her and landed on top of him, effectively making it look like she was straddling him.

The knock on the door alerted Clarke to her mother’s presence, a quick look to the mirror in her bedroom confirmed what Clarke already feared. Her eyes were still red, puffy and swollen after she had cried not an hour ago. Clarke’s shoulders slumped and as she realised why Clarke had called her mother, remembering Finn again and Clarke could feel her emotions bubbling under her skin again.

Clarke got up from her bed and walked towards the door and took a deep breath and opened up the door for her mother. “Hi mom,” Clarke said with a voice close to breaking again as she smiled weakly as she forced her eyes up to Abby who looked back at her with the same motherly love and instinct as  she did when Clarke’s father, Jake, had died in a shooting where he was trying to stop a mugging.

“Oh my beautiful baby girl,” Abby said softly as she enveloped her daughter in a warm embrace and Clarke felt her mother run her hand up and down her back in soothing motions and Clarke felt safe in her mother’s arms so she let go and began crying into her mother’s neck and Abby stood there and whispering soothing words.

Unbeknownst to Clarke, Abby was happy that her daughter had finally called and admitted she needed her mother. Like daughter, like mother Abby thought. Abby was stubborn and so was Clarke, but Abby knew that at some point Clarke couldn’t hold it in anymore and Abby had prayed and hoped it would before Clarke’s sorrow consumed her.

Clarke didn’t know how long she and her mother stood and embraced each other and it didn’t matter, Clarke knew she needed this and it certainly wouldn’t be the last time.

“Come on baby, let’s get you home,” Abby whispered to Clarke and they finally broke the embrace and Clarke nodded, not quite trusting her words yet. Abby picked up her bag as they headed towards Abby’s car. There wasn’t much conversation on the way home as Clarke hanged her head and felt her mother’s thumb stroking her hand.

The car ride to Clarke’s childhood home went by in a blur for Clarke as she barely noticed when they pulled up to the house. Abby smiled softly and leaned over and kissed her daughters head as she cupped her cheeks. “I’m glad you called me sweetheart. Come on, let’s get you settled,” Clarke couldn’t help but smile a little at her mother. Clarke knew her mother loved her endlessly and that she would always be here for her, but it was a nice, warm feeling that spread inside her body to feel her mother’s love.

As they got out of the car, Clarke heard raised voices somewhere down the street and she focused to find out what the voices actually was saying.

“Costia! Don’t leave, please! Just tell me what I did, why won’t you talk to me, please! We can fix this!” A girl said, her voice begging. “Accept it, it’s over. That’s just how it is,” another voice snapped and the next thing Clarke heard was a car door slamming and a second later racing off in the distance and the girl was left on the sidewalk and it was obvious the girl was crying into her hands.

“I know you want to take care of the world, Clarke, but sometimes you have to let the world take care of you first,” Abby said and ushered her inside but Clarke’s heart ached for the poor girl who were left out on the street but Clarke also knew at the same time, she couldn’t do anything to help, unless she didn’t start to heal herself first.

It was late at night when Clarke saw it. A small mark where beginning to take shape on her right wrist and it looked like an infinity sign. Deciding not to deal with this new development, Clarke closed her eyes and fell asleep on her mother’s lap in the couch and her dreams were filled with eyes green as emeralds.

************

Lexa sobbed into her hands as Costia raced away from her, without any explanation Costia just up and left. Lexa felt numb in her entire body except for the aching pain she felt in her chest. Lexa knew it wasn’t physical pain, but somehow it felt just like it. It was as if her heart had been ripped to a thousand pieces and Lexa didn’t know how or where to begin picking herself up again. She had no family and only a few close friends she trusted, Lincoln and Anya but it felt like she would be bothering them when she was like this.

Lexa wandered for many hours and she was shuddering as the sun started to set and it was only then Lexa realised how long she had wandered and that she was freezing since it was starting to get a little chilly and brisk being outside and Lexa knew that she wasn’t nearly dressed warmly enough. Lexa sighed and went for her phone in her back pocket and in the screen’s reflection she saw her normally green eyes were red and puffy. Lexa didn’t know how long she had cried, but certainly long enough to make her head ache and the pain in her heart hadn’t lessened either.

Opening the phone, Lexa saw she had eight missed calls from Anya and a lot more texts. Lincoln had called her as well and texted her a few times as well. Lexa was tempted to ignore them and just continue wandering aimlessly, but she felt tears prickling in her eyes again. She stopped for a second to look around and saw she was out in the nature and there was a plain to her right where the sun was currently beginning to set. Lexa walked over to a bench and thought for a moment, trying to realise where she had went. Somewhere in the distance was a car approaching and in Lexa’s minds it made sense to find the road.

Following the engines roar, Lexa soon found the road and saw on a sign that she was ten miles outside of the city limit and that she was actually pretty close to a resting place where she could call Anya from.

Lexa shuddered slightly as she sat down on a park bench and finally dug her phone out again, opened it and clicked on Anya’s name in her contacts list to dial her best friend. Lexa pressed the phone against her freezing ear, slightly marvelling in the warm contact of the phone against her ear. The phone didn’t even call for a second before Anya had picked up.

“ALEXANDRIA JASMIN WOODS WHERE THE HELL-,” Anya all but yelled into the phone until she heard Lexa quietly sobbing. Lexa in all honesty didn’t mean to, she deserved to have her best friend being angry at her. “Lexa…” Anya said in a soft tone which Lexa had rarely heard Anya use. “What’s wrong?”

Lexa snivelled and took a shaky breath, because no matter what, her friends didn’t deserve her falling apart like this. “It’s… It’s Costia,” Lexa said, her voice already cracking. “She left me this morning, no explanation. She just up and left and I don’t know what to do. I know I should have called to let you know, but I just ended up walking for the whole day. I’m so sorry An…” Lexa said, her voice fragile and her heart began breaking all over again. “Oh God, she’s gone An. What do I do?” Lexa started to breathe faster and no matter how hard she tried, it felt like her lungs were burning from a lack of oxygen and her throat felt constricted.

“You need to listen to me Lex. Tell me where you are and we’re going to figure this out, okay?” Anya said her voice soft and caring. Lexa breathing calmed a little, although still ragged. “I’m at a resting place ten miles from the city limit not too far from the interstate. Do you know where it is?” Lexa said with her breath still uneven.

“Yeah, I know where it is, we’ll be there in 10,” Anya said as the line disconnected.

Lexa looked at her phone absentmindedly as she heard the roar of an engine close by. Forcing her gaze from the phone and up to the oncoming car, Lexa saw Anya and Lincoln pull into the resting place and they got out of the car and sprinted towards Lexa and wrapped their arms around her, as if they wanted to chase anything bad away from her world. Lexa couldn’t help but smile a little at her best friends, which were more like her siblings.

“Fuck you’re cold, let’s get you back to our place,” Anya said and Lincoln nodded as he rubbed Lexa’s back and give her a supporting smile. Lexa wanted to protest and not wanting to bother them, but Anya beat her to it. “Nuh uh, not up for discussion! You’re staying with us until you’ve found your feet again okay?” Anya was pleading, because the last time Lexa took an emotional battering, she shut off everyone and it took Anya and Lincoln half a year to get her to open up after she got beat up and bullied for being a lesbian in her freshman year in high school.

Lexa nodded and knew the older girl was right but still somewhat reluctant. Lexa wanted to shut the world off and bury herself in work and pretend nothing was ever worth her time again.

Anya nudged her into the back seat and sat next to her as Lincoln swung the car around and headed towards the city again, back to now, well their place Lexa supposed.

“Hey,” Anya said, taking Lexa’s hand and urged her to look into her eyes and Lexa did. “You’re going to get through this Lex. You don’t have to tell us what happened. Just don’t shut us out okay? We’re here for you, day and night. Just like you always have been here for us and you’re not bothering us,” Anya said her voice soft and Lexa felt warmth spreading through her chest with the love and care her friends showed her. They actually dropped whatever they were doing and raced out to get her. Lexa had lost faith in soulmates that day, but Lexa still knew she could never ever get rid of the hope of finding love again, no matter how much she tried at the moment.

Lexa leaned her head against Anya’s shoulder, Lexa nearly drifted into sleep when she felt the car coming to a complete stop and Lexa stirred slightly away from Anya to get her senses back.

************

Lexa was slumped down into the couch of Anya’s and Lincoln’s shared apartment and the dull ache in her head finally began to subside although the ache in hear heart certainly hadn’t, Anya sat beside and Lexa noticed how Anya would sometimes look at her, worried that Lexa might disappear. Lexa couldn’t really judge her, because Lexa did it before in high school when her feelings and self-worth was destroyed. Lincoln came back from the kitchen with three hot cocoas and gave one to Anya, Lexa and then he sat down in the armchair which was close to Lincoln. Anya remained silent and Lexa knew it’s because while Anya is protective, she wasn’t that great with words.

Lexa looked to Lincoln who seemed lost in thought, but realised that Lexa was looking at him with a questioning look as her brows furrowed.

“You know Lex,” Lincoln his voice soft and caring. “I know you feel this is the end and that you’ll never find happiness, because I know you. You think in absolutes, and while I understand I’m here to say that you’re wrong,” Lincoln started, his lips tilting up slightly in a small smile.

“You always were the best of us. You deserve better than Costia, because you deserve to be happy and it might not be a relationship that have to make you happy. Think about it, okay? Really think, what would make you happy. I know this whole situation sucks, but it will get better and after that, you’ll realise you might be a completely different person than you were before,” Lincoln said, slurping his cocoa slightly.

Lexa was stunned by Lincoln’s speech, he wasn’t usually a man of a lot of words but he sat his cocoa down on the coffee table and clasped his hands together.

“Which got me thinking, it’s actually okay if you change? Change doesn’t have to be bad, we do get a say in who we become in our lives and that’s okay, we have to keep moving, as long you remember all the people you used to be.” Lincoln finished and Lexa just stared at him, with her mouth slightly ajar and it took a moment for Lexa to keep up before she realised something.

“Did you just seriously quote Doctor Who to me in a vague way?” Lexa smiled for the first time that day and neither Lincoln nor Anya missed that as they both lightly chuckled at the younger woman’s words before Lincoln added. “Yeah, I guess I did.”

The trio went into a comfortable silence and Lexa’s mind started to think about what she actually wanted and it felt like she could actually do something for herself without having to think about someone else but even then it felt wrong for Lexa to be that selfish, but since Lincoln had asked what she would want if she didn’t have to think about anyone else.

Lexa took her last sip of the hot cocoa and sat it down. Lincoln and Anya were engaged in a friendly banter about who could run five miles fastest and Lexa felt generous to have two such good best friends and she actually believed what they said. That together they could move mountains and that in time, Lexa would be okay again.

Lexa had always been taught hopefulness was folly by Nia her former step-mother when her parents had died, but Lexa shook that thought out of her head.

“Guys, I think I know what I want to do,” Lexa said in a low but confident voice. “I want to start in med school. I want to do it, as I did all those years ago I’ve already finished pre-med and I have good scores,” Lexa remembered when she helped clean Aden’s wounds and the feeling of helping people who could need her help always seemed appealing to Lexa.

“And, if I have to be completely selfish and honest… Well… Then I think it would be awesome if the three of us could get a place together,” Lexa swallowed the lump in her throat as it was not in her nature to be selfish and Lexa was fidgeting with a strand of the blanket she was covered in.

Anya and Lincoln was taken aback by the brunettes statement, taking in every word she had said until they both Anya and Lincoln’s lips spilt into face-splitting grins.

“Let’s fucking do it then!” Anya and Lincoln exclaimed in excitement and both rushed over to hug Lexa and for the first time this day Lexa cried tears of joy and hopefulness instead of sorrow and heartache.

When Lexa went to sleep in the Lincoln’s bed, Lexa could feel the emotional turmoil in her chest. She was both excited to what the future held and tried to be positive about the future but Lexa was also sad and lonely. Lexa lost what she thought was her soulmate and the mark they both had of an oak tree like mark was now completely faded on her collarbone. After Lexa had tossed and turned for the last hour Lexa decided she might as well read a little and get some water, if she couldn’t sleep anyways.

Reaching over to the lamp on the table besides the bed, she fumbled after the light switch. After a minute or so, Lexa finally found it and the small room was instantaneously illuminated. Lexa got out of the bed and wandered over to the door to twist the door knob and that is when she saw it and Lexa gasped. A small infinity mark was beginning to become visible on her right wrist.

Lexa succumbed to sleep after three hours of tossing and turning over the new mark on her wrist and what it possibly entailed but when Lexa finally slept, her dreams were filled eyes blue as the ocean.


	2. I Surrender

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Clarke, Raven and Octavia head into this bar that their old high school friend Jasper opened. The night quickly takes a twist, but for better or for worse?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for leaving you guys hanging for so freaking long. I've been dealing with some very personal issues and I've only just gotten back into writing. I wanted this chapter out as soon as possible so it's not read through, but I'll do that when I get the time. I plan to update more regularly and I hope you can forgive me. Anyways, here's chapter two. I hope you enjoy!  
> (ALSO, THERE IS SO MUCH FLUFF, I WAS SAD, DON'T JUDGE ME)

The next month flew by for Clarke and Lexa and for Clarke it had been a good month. She talked more with her mother about Finn and was starting to find herself again. With it, Clarke became more independent and felt okay with being alone for the first time in three months. Clarke was interested in her school looked forward to what her future in med school entailed, Clarke couldn’t describe it felt things were finally starting to turn out well.

Clarke walked up to her best friends place and knocked softly on the door, but not before she heard a door open not far down the hallway, seeing a brunette with piercing green eyes that met her own deep ocean blue eyes, the girl gave her a small smile and Clarke felt her lips tilt upwards in a smile towards the brunette, but the moment was broken when Octavia opened the door forcefully and nearly jumped in Clarke’s arms and the impact sent Clarke staggering a few steps backwards.

“Hi Clarke!” Octavia exclaimed in an excited tone, squeezing Clarke hard.

“Geez O,” Clarke said surprised. “Hi to you too, O. Care to stop squeezing the life out of me?” Clarke mused, hugging her best friend back.

“Oh shut up C!” Octavia let go off Clarke and smacked her arm roughly, before rushing into the apartment yelling to Raven to get her ass out of the shower because Clarke just had arrived. Clarke stepped inside the apartment and looked around to see that there were clothes strewn all across the living room and Clarke knew it was because her best friends were having trouble picking their outfits for tonight.

The trio had only one exam the following week and to celebrate, Octavia and Raven had decided that they should head to a newly opened bar, called Arkadia that their former class mate in high school had opened. Clarke had pretty much dropped her partying life-style after her break down the month earlier. Clarke still went out time to time, but not every weekend or drowning her liver in alcohol and it had already helped Clarke heal further, although the wound was not fully closed yet.

“Claaaaaaaaaaaaaarke!” Came Raven’s from the bathroom. “I need your impeccable fashion advice because a girl needs to get laid tonight!” Raven yelled again and Clarke couldn’t help but laugh out loud as she got up from her place in the couch and walked over to the bathroom where it looked like a wardrobe had exploded.

“What the hell Rae? Did you blow a bomb in here?” Clarke laughed as Raven levelled with a glare and mumbled something about Clarke she didn’t quite hear and shook her head in amusement.

“So what are you dressed up as tonight, sexy secretary? I like it,” Raven winked at Clarke as she scanned her outfit and smirked.

“No, just don’t want to have boys feeling me up all night, unlike you two idiots,” Clarke deadpanned and Clarke got another wink from Raven and finally helped picked up a pair of black tight jeans that Clarke knew hugged Raven’s figure in all right and a low cut red top that just teased with a little cleavage and a pair of red heels and Raven hummed in agreement and took the clothes.

Clarke wore a pair of jeans similar to Raven’s but had opted for a pair of classic black heels and a black blazer that ended just below her forearms with a plain white top underneath. Clarke thought she looked sexy but just more in the way of ‘I’m your boss and I can order you around and you’ll like it’ way.

Leaning against the doorway and looking out in the living room, Clarke waited for Octavia to show up from her room and wondered why Octavia hadn’t asked for help as she usually did when they headed down to a bar. Clarke had little time to think about it though as a second later Octavia emerged from a room in a black dress with a deep v-cut and exposed back with a pair of sexy heels.

Clarke whistled and raised her eyebrows at her best friend. “What’s up O, are you dressed to break hearts?” Clarke laughed and Octavia just smirked and raised her eyebrows. Clarke again shook her head and laughed at Octavia as she had at Raven. Clarke was about to turn her attention elsewhere when she saw a barely visible mark taking form on Octavia that looked like a circle with a curved line inside almost as if was representing one half of a whole. Coming to think about it, Clarke also saw a mark on Raven that ironically enough looked like a bird, like a small mocking jay.

“Oh my God, guys! Why haven’t you told me that you were getting your second marks?!” Clarke exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air.

Clarke’s sudden outburst halted both girls’ movements as if they were frozen on the place they stood.

“Well… We wasn’t sure if you wanted to hear about that, you know ever since that break up with Finn,” Raven started as she shuffled with her feet and Clarke realised that actually both of her friends were tiptoeing around her when the subject fell on love and soulmates. Raven and Octavia had gotten their first mark in their freshman year in college when they found two guys, Kyle and Atom, who had the same marks as themselves, but inevitably it had ended in heartbreak.

Raven and Octavia would have lost faith in soulmates after their break ups, if they hadn’t woken up with a barely visible mark the next day and the only way to discover the marks, if you were running your fingers over the skin where it could be felt.

“Really Rae,” Clarke started off, slightly annoyed. “I’m happy that you got your marks and more importantly happy for you. You both deserve someone special in your lives.”

“Why, we do have someone special in our lives Princess, just look no further in the mirror,” Raven retorted with a smile that was way over the top.

“Seriously though C, they became more visible after you and Finn had broken up and we didn’t want to make it worse,” Octavia said with a soft smile and nudged her with her elbow as she went into the bathroom to put the final touches on her make up.

************

Clarke, Raven and Octavia finished up about an hour after and started making their way towards Arkadia. As the trio neared the bar, Raven and Octavia were engaged in a friendly banter to see who was the best at holding their liquor and Clarke ended the argument that they both lightweights, which promptly caused both Raven and Octavia to gang up on her and stated that Clarke was going to end up under the table when they were done with her.

“As if, we both know you’ll end up falling down from a table Rae and O. Don’t I have forgotten your latest boy, what was his name, Barry?” Clarke smirked and both of her best friends sent her evil glares and smacked her arm. They reached the bar about two minutes later and were let in immediately because Raven knew the bouncer, Lincoln. Octavia they had to drag in, because she looked like a love sick puppy although Octavia hadn’t spoken to Lincoln for long Octavia already to give her number to him and Lincoln had promised to call.

The club was quaint and not too overcrowded, meaning there was plenty of booths they could sit down and get some drinks down before heading to the dancefloor. Another good thing about the bar, Clarke noticed, was that the music coming through the speakers wasn’t ear-deafening and was easily able to converse with her best friends.

“Alright, I’m going to get shots and you bitches better drink up!” Raven exclaimed as she raced towards the bar to get their shots.

“Well, there goes my liver,” Clarke said, chuckling and looked towards Raven. “Of course she’s getting us tequila.”

“You know it, Princess!” Octavia smirked and winked towards Clarke.

Clarke didn’t catch it however, because Clarke’s eyes were glued to the brunette with eyes of emeralds who just entered the bar with another woman by her side. As the pair walked towards the bar, green eyes met blue in an intense gaze, held by Clarke and the brunette. Clarke could feel her cheeks heat up. Flustered, Clarke waved awkwardly and brunette’s eyes widened for a second and her mouth fell slightly ajar. Clarke dropped her arm and her eyebrows furrowed, giving the brunette a confused look, the brunette’s features were now schooled and stoic, giving Clarke a curt nod and teared her gaze away.

“Woah, spotted a hot dude Clarke? Is that why you look like a fucking tomato?” A smirking Raven sat down a tray of shots.

“You should have seen her, Rae. She looked like a love sick puppy just as some hot brunette walked in.” Octavia joined in on the teasing and raised her eyebrows suggestively at Clarke.

“I hate you both, why am I even friends with you?” Clarke said in an exasperated tone and rolled her eyes at her friend’s shenanigans.

“Because you love us both and our incredibly funny humour.” Raven said as she batted her eyelashes towards Clarke who in turn just poked her tongue at her best friends, promptly causing both of the women in front of Clarke to laugh.

“Anyways,” Clarke started. “I thought we were doing shots?”

Clarke tried to shake her thoughts of the brunette’s reaction to her waving at her, but as ever, Clarke couldn’t help but wonder if she did something wrong or what made the brunette acted that way, but Clarke wanted answers, when she had sufficiently liquid courage.

“You bet your cute blonde ass we are!” Raven exclaimed and put shot glasses in front of Clarke and Octavia.

Clarke looked down to the tray on the table and noticed the absurd amount of shots placed there. Twelve was the exact number and Clarke shook her head. They raised their glasses and Clarke took her glass to her lips and threw her head backwards, gulping the shot fast to avoid the nausea of having it in her mouth to long.

After the trio had gulped down the first shot, Raven quickly placed another round of shots in front of the girls.

************

Clarke was dancing with her friends after they finished their round of four tequila shots and had gotten quite the buzz on. Not completely wasted, but it was enough for Clarke to make her feel good and loose as she felt the alcohol buzzing through her veins.

Clarke looked around the slightly darkened room when her eyes landed on a certain brunette that had haunted her thoughts for the whole evening and neither Raven nor Octavia missed that Clarke’s attention were no longer on dancing but rather on said brunette.

Clarke tried to shake her thoughts of the brunette in the opposite site of the room but as that seemed impossible she might as well get her attention.

Clarke excused herself from her best friends as she made her way over to the bar and luckily enough the owner, from which Clarke knew from her time back in high school, Jasper was working.

“Hey Jas, can you do me a teeny tiny favour?” Clarke acted sober as she could and managed to not slur over any word and grew slightly more confident.

“Hey Princess, depends on the favour,” Jasper winked as he pulled some bottles from a cabinet under the bar and looked into the blondes inquisitive eyes.

“I really want to play a song tonight and the stage is already set from the performers that were here earlier, pretty please?” Clarke asked Jasper in a cheery tone, giving him the best puppy dog eyes.

Jasper sighed in amusement and nodded, calling for the bartender at the other end to cover for him a few minutes.

“So anything particular you’d want to play?” Jasper inquired in his usual happy tone.

“R U Mine? I don’t know, I’ll come up with something,” Clarke winked at Jasper as he just rolled his eyes in response, as they headed back to find the guitar for Clarke which Jasper always kept around if Clarke wanted to do an impromptu gig in the future, but in came in handy already on opening night.

As Jasper handed the guitar to Clarke he went out and up to the small stage where all the equipment was still connected and ready to go, whenever Clarke was ready.

“Hey all! So, I have a very good friend who wants to play a song, ya’ll down with that, right?”

Shouts and roars sounded through the bar that voiced their agreement.

“Awesome! Well, without further ado, Clarke Griffin everybody!”

Raven and Octavia were the ones who cheered the most as Clarke made her way onto the stage and sat down on the stool Jasper had placed there for her.

“Hey guys,” Clarke said with excitement in her voice, with a hint of nervousness. It had been a long time since she played, even longer in front of a crowd, but the alcohol helped with the nervousness and boosted her excitement.

“So this is the opening night of Arkadia and I’m having a blast! But let’s make this night even better, so everyone, if you want to, find a partner and go hit it on the dance floor!” Clarke said with a wide grin on her face, although her eyes searched for the brunette.

Clarke found a pair of green eyes staring back at her curiosity evident in those green eyes. Clarke sent the brunette that flashing smile that was only for special people in her heart, but Clarke paid it no second thoughts as people started to gather out on the dancefloor surround the stage as Clarke began plucking the opening lines of R U Mine?

Closing her eyes, Clarke plucked the first few chords of the songs as she saw the brunette take a sip of her drink and observed her. Slightly nervous, Clarke began to sing, with the crowd joining her, even though it was obvious people were either tipsy or drunk and much of it slurred, she couldn’t help but smile.

During the part of the song were purely singing Clarke grabbed the mic and rocked her hips as she sang.

 _“_ _She's a silver lining lone ranger riding through an open space_  
In my mind when she's not right there beside me  
I go crazy cause here isn't where I wanna be  
  
And satisfaction feels like a distant memory  
And I can't help myself,  
All I wanna hear her say is "Are you mine?"

Clarke smiled as she finished the song and looked out to the crowd that all cheered and hollered at her, but loudest was of course Octavia. Clarke smiled and waved at her friend and not to Clarke’s surprise, Raven and a girl was making out on the floor. Chuckling and shaking her head, Clarke took the microphone.

“Thanks guys, you’re awesome!” Clarke said and received another round of applause and for dramatic gesture she bowed and with guitar in hand. Clarke headed down from the small stage and over to Jasper.

“Daaaamn, I forgot how great a voice you’re packing Griff!” Jasper smiled and took the guitar from her. Smiling at his words, Clarke thanked him and made her way through the crowd and over to the booth with Octavia, Raven and her make out partner, but to Clarke’s surprise there was a brunette sitting with them, engaged with Octavia in some conversation but suddenly got up and Clarke lost track of her.

“Hey Clarke! That was fucking awesome!” Octavia yelled with a happy expression on her face.

“Thanks O, it was so amazing to do that again. I realised how much I’ve actually missed doing this.” Clarke said as she enveloped Octavia in a hug.

Octavia punched Raven in the shoulder and gave yelp and broke away from the girl she was kissing.

“What the hell, O?!” Raven exclaimed.

“Well, since you’re busy swapping spit with a girl, can’t you at least introduce us?” Octavia retorted and smirked, seeing the blush on Raven’s face.

“Oh… Right. Awesome performance Clarkey by the way.” Raven started and Clarke smiled at her other best friend.

“Asshole one, asshole two. This Anya, these two assholes are my best friends.” Raven said and feigned innocence over being so abruptly stopped making out with her, which Clarke couldn’t but laugh about.

“Hello, nice to meet you two.” Anya said and reached out to shake their hands. Sending a smirk and raised eyebrows their way.

Clarke just shook her head, when she noticed the brunette she saw Octavia talk with just a moment ago return to their booth. Anya and the brunette, whose face Clarke couldn’t properly see, talked and then Anya turned towards Clarke, Octavia and Raven.

“Right, well since my friend is bad at introductions, I’ll do it for her.” Anya smirked as her friend chuckled and just shook her head.

As Anya introduces Raven and Octavia to her friend, she looked up to greet the two women. Clarke realised who exactly Anya’s friend were and it was like the brunette hadn’t noticed her yet, but Clarke was completely enamoured, so when Anya turned to Clarke.

“This is my friend-“ Anya started, but before she could finish her sentence, Clarke cut her off. “Lexa.” Clarke uttered the name, not knowing they all heard her, but all heads snapped to Clarke, including Lexa. The name which she had dreamt about for a months, just came out, but she didn’t mean to say it out loud. The girl just stuck her hand out and Clarke took it.

Shaking her head as to regain her thoughts, Anya spoke again.

“Right, Lexa. This is-“ Yet again Anya was cut off but this time by Lexa. “Clarke.”

************

Lexa looked to the beautiful blonde opposite of her. All air was almost sucked out of her lungs when she uttered out her own name. Still looking the blonde in the eye, she heard Anya speak again, but this time, it was Lexa’s voice that cut off Anya.

“Clarke.” Lexa said as they shook hands.

Clarke smiled at her and she returned gesture, but unlike a lot of her recent smiles, this was genuine and that made Lexa smile even more. The two of them were so caught up in each other that they hadn’t noticed the entire table had gotten dead silent, because Anya, Raven and Octavia all saw that Lexa and Clarke bore the same marks on their wrists.

“It’s nice to meet you Lexa, care for a drink?” Clarke asked and smiled.

Lexa couldn’t help but be in awe. Clarke seemed so pure, happy and genuine. It made her insides warm and a permanent smile was plastered on her face.

 “I’d like that very much Clarke, but only if you let me return the favour.” Lexa responded.

“Deal.”

Clarke stood from the booth and extended her hand to Lexa, a silent request to follow her. With the alcohol buzzing through her veins, making Lexa slightly tipsy also made her braver than usual. Clasping their hands together, Lexa stood and looked to Clarke who gave a nod forwards.

As they left the booth, both women had forgotten to spare any thoughts to their friends, who they left behind speechless and mouths ajar, with quiet mutterings that sounded like “what the fuck just happened?!”

Sitting down on the barstool next to Clarke, Lexa was a little nervous but Clarke snapped her out of her train of thought.

“So Lexa, I think this is the part where we tell each other a little about ourselves.” Clarke said confidently as they again locked eyes.

“Sounds about right,” Lexa said with a small smirk. “Well. I’m about to start on med school. I got my letter of acceptance today and Anya thought we should celebrate.”

“Really?! You’re kidding right?” Clarke asked incredulously. “I’m starting on med school as well!”

Lexa actually felt her mouth falling open in pure surprise. All this seemed beyond random or coincidence.

“Woah, that’s… What a coincidence!” Clarke exclaimed with a wide grin on her face.

“You tell me,” Lexa said, quite surprised.

“So besides med school, what else?” Clarke inquired softly.

Lexa grinned and chuckled.

“What?” Lexa heard Clarke ask.

“You’re too curious for your own good, Clarke.” Lexa made sure to punctuate the blonde’s name after Lexa saw how the faintest hint of pink tinting her cheeks earlier and it worked again.

“That’s something I’ve heard before.” Clarke said and winked at Lexa who just shook her head again in amusement.

“How about this Clarke, I tell you one thing and you tell me one thing?” Lexa asked optimistically.

“You got yourself a deal.” Was Clarke’s reply.

 ************

It was nearing 4 AM and Clarke and Lexa was deep in conversation, still on the verge of being drunk but not too much. They had completely lost themselves, not knowing where their friends were or what they were doing. Clarke was telling Lexa a story of how she as a teenager concussed herself by running into a street light, because Octavia were chasing after her and how her mom freaked out.

Lexa at that point had to hold her belly from laughter as Clarke mimicked her own, Octavia and her mother’s expressions. Neither women registered a very drunk Raven, supported by a slightly less drunk Octavia and a tipsy Anya approach them.

“Hey, sorry for interrupting your eyefucking girls, but Anya and I going to get this drunk idiot to bed.” Octavia said, slightly slurring and giggling like a young girl.

Lexa felt a blush creeping up on her cheeks and looked to Clarke, who was equally blushing.

“What the shorty said.” Anya said and laughed at Octavia’s outburst as they were turning around and heading towards the exit.

“Sorry about that, Octavia can be quite… honest, when she’s drunk.” Clarke said, the blush still evident on her cheeks.

“I don’t mind.” Lexa replied, she was about to open her mouth, when Jasper came over.

“Hey ladies, sorry to say this, but we’re closing.” Jasper looked apologetic as he announced that they would be closing.

“It’s okay Jas, thanks for a lovely time tonight! It’s a great place you got here.” Clarke replied and sent him a smile.

“I agree it’s quite wonderful here.” Lexa chipped in and stood from the barstool.

Holding her hand out to Clarke, extending the same gesture Clarke had earlier, still more brave than nervous because of the slight buzz from the alcohol, Clarke accepted and the two clasped hands as they headed out of their bar and into the crisp spring morning air.

“Thank you for tonight Lexa.” Clarke said as they stood outside, face to face.

“Likewise Clarke, tonight has been great.” Lexa said and smiled at the beautiful blonde in front of her.

“I should probably head home, it’s not far from here. Where’re you heading?” Clarke asked.

“Yeah definitely, I uh. I’m going about five miles north I’d say.” Lexa said, still smiling at Clarke as they interlocked their fingers.

“Five miles?! Now?!” Clarke exclaimed in shock. “If you’re thinking about walking you can forget about it, I’m not letting you go that far alone, this time at night!” Clarke said, not leaving much room for discussion and started tugging at Lexa.

“But Clarke,” Lexa tried to little success.

“Nope, you’re staying at my place. It’s only 10 minutes from here!” Clarke declared and Lexa really didn’t complain because it meant spending more time with Clarke, who was curious about her life, cared about her safety and it made Lexa smile and she budged.

“Okay, I’ll stay at your place, so lead the way.” Lexa couldn’t help but smile as she saw the goofy grin that spread across Clarke’s face.

“Good, I’m not having you getting hurt, just because of your stubbornness, but don’t think this is how you get into my pants young lady.” Clarke whispered in Lexa’s ear, sending a shiver up and down her spine as she felt Clarke’s hot breath on her ear.

“If I wanted to get in your pants, it would have already happened, Clarke.” Lexa retorted, purposely making her voice huskier.

Lexa saw the sharp intake of air Clarke drew in and felt the quickened pace Clarke now set.

As Clarke hurried down the sidewalk to her apartment with Lexa in tow, Clarke did her best to pretend that what Lexa said to her a few minutes earlier didn’t affect her in any way, but for some reason it was obvious to Lexa and she couldn’t help but feel a little smug and smirked at Clarke.

Clarke stopped in front of a complex that was not old but also not like it was built within the last two decades and the exterior somehow fitted Clarke, it was lively and outgoing.

“This is us,” Clarke smiled and unlocked the door. “After you.”

Lexa stepped inside and the interior was like she expected, full of life and not bland and boring like her own apartment complex.

“I live on the second floor which makes me so happy that there are elevators in this place.” Clarke sighed tiredly.

“What? Too lazy to use the stairs?” Lexa joked as Clarke’s face morphed into that of true horror.

“You have got to be kidding me. You’re not seriously going to take two flights of stairs are you?” Clarke said exasperated.

“No of course not Clarke,” Lexa grinned. “We are.”

Lexa thought it wasn’t possible but Clarke looked even more horrified, but much to Lexa’s amusement, Clarke didn’t know what Lexa had planned to do.

In a swift movement, with her left arm, Lexa grabbed Clarke’s left arm and pulled it over her shoulder, then grabbed Clarke’s legs and lifted and before Clarke could do react to what was going on, she was hoisted up high on Lexa’s back.

Clarke yelped out of surprise and Lexa began to run up two flights of stairs with a giggling Clarke, demanding to be put down.

After they reached the floor on which Clarke’s apartment were, Lexa finally put down Clarke and for some reason, she was out of breath whilst Lexa were barely even breathing more than usual.

“How you are not out of breath is beyond me, are you an alien or something, is that it?” Clarke asked, impressed by Lexa physique.

“No, I just work out regularly, you should try it Clarke.” Lexa said jokingly.

“Oh, now it makes jokes. Great!” Clarke said, feigning annoyance but couldn’t help a small smile form on her lips, and both women laughed.

“Alright, now I am ready for my bed!” Clarke said in an excited, yet somehow, tired tone and Lexa agreed, feeling her exhaustion catching up on her.

Unlocking the door, Clarke welcomed in Lexa.

“Right, bathroom is the first door on the left. Sorry my place is a bit of mess, as you can see by the state of my living room.” Clarke said, smiling.

Lexa thought the place was so like Clarke. It’s a bit messy, but not much, lively colours, paintings decorating the walls and a DVD shelf next to the TV which held many of Lexa’s personal favourites but also a lot she had never heard off. Lexa looked back to Clarke and smiled.

“Sounds good, but I’m more curious as to where I’m going to _sleep_ Clarke. Unless you want me to sleep in the bathroom?” Lexa joked and watched Clarke blush as she started scratching her neck.

“Oh.. I uh… The couch is crap at sleeping on and I don’t have a guest room, so I mean, if you’re fine with it, we can uh, share my bed? It doesn’t have to mean anything, you know, friends do this right? We’re friends; can I call you my friend?” Clarke rambled and Lexa had to literally snap her out of it.

“Relax Clarke. We’re both adults and we can share a bed without having sex,” Lexa said as she tried not to laugh. “And yes, friends sounds good Clarke. You should have a sweater I could borrow right?” Lexa asked and yawned.

Clarke seemed to snap out of her trance.

“Yes of course, I’ll go get it. You can change in the bathroom, there’s a spare toothbrush under the sink.” Clarke said as she shuffled into her bedroom to get a sweater.

Lexa walked into the bathroom and grabbed the toothbrush under sink and started brushing her teeth when a knock came from the outside.

“Can I come in? I got you a sweater.” Clarke said in a sleepy voice.

“Of course Clarke, it’s your place, remember?” Lexa couldn’t help but joke. She always did when she was tired.

“Right,” Clarke opened the door and smiled at Lexa and placed the sweater on the counter. “I’ll just brush my teeth and wash my face and I’ll let you change.”

“Take your time, Clarke. No rush.” Lexa said and smiled at Clarke.

************

Lexa was finally finished. She had cleaned her face of the little make up she wore and pulled her hair up into a bun and changed into Clarke’s sweater and stepped into the bedroom where Clarke’s already buried underneath the covers.

“There you are,” Clarke smiled. “I thought you might had fallen asleep out there.”

“And miss out on the amazing bed owned by you?” Lexa quirked an eyebrow when Clarke blushed. “Never.” Lexa smirked.

Lexa walked to the bed and crawled under the covers and turned to face Clarke.

“Thank you for tonight, Clarke. It was one of the better nights in recent memory.” Lexa smiled and looked into those blue eyes again and it made her heart leap.

“The pleasure is mine, but you’re right. Tonight has been wonderful Lexa.” Clarke said smiling.

Lexa leaned a little closer to Clarke, as if there was a magnetic pull towards Clarke, Lexa pressed a soft kiss to Clarke’s lips and Lexa felt Clarke’s lips moving against hers but all too soon in Lexa’s mind the kiss ended.

Lexa opened her eyes and looked into those beautiful blue eyes again.

“Goodnight Lexa.”

“Goodnight Clarke.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? I'm eager to hear what you think! Feel free to leave a comment or you thoughts on what I should improve! I look forward to post the next chapter! Thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> So, I'm really looking forward to hear your thoughts about this story! Don't be shy to point out my mistakes, I sort of welcome it so I can make future chapters even better!


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